Inside This House

>>>>>IMPORTANT<<<<

Several changes were made from the online versions to the published versions of The Bluest Eyes in Texas andBorderline. This story incorporates those changes. If you have only read the online versions of those stories, I apologize in advance for any confusion caused by those changes, while reading this story.

DISCLAIMERS:

Kennedy and Carson were first introduced in The Bluest Eyes in Texas, and continued in Borderline. This is the third novel-length story in the series, and it is set in Austin, Texas. It picks up a few months after the published version of Borderline leaves off.

The two main characters are very much in love, and as such they make love from time to time. Actually, they're still in a new relationship, so they kind of go at it like bunnies; therefore this story gets an "R" rating. After all this time, if you're reading this, that's something I probably don't need to "disclaim" anymore, but there you go.

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Chapter 1

"Carson." A morning-raspy voice floated across the bed, and Carson groaned, pulling a thick quilt up over her head.

"Go 'way," she muttered grumpily. "Too early."

"Sorry, you asked me to wake you when I leave." Kennedy sat down on the edge of the mattress and gave her another gentle shake. She laughed lightly as Carson pushed the covers down past her chin and one gray eye peeled cautiously open.

Carson looked over at the clock radio and then glared at her. "Six freaking a.m.!" She moaned wearily and pulled the covers back up, obscuring her face and muffling her voice. "Why in the hell are you leaving this early?" The quilt came down again and she reached across, tugging at Kennedy's gun metal-shade suit sleeve, then trailed a fingertip along the edge of the royal blue silk blouse peeking out. "You look nice."

"Thanks. You said to wear the blue one, so I did." Kennedy leaned over and pecked her on the lips. "I have that slot on Austin This Morning, remember? Gotta go."

"Oh, yeah. That's why I wanted up. So I wouldn't sleep through your show." Carson grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "I'd kiss you for luck but I haven't brushed yet."

Kennedy grinned and lifted Carson's hand, planting her lips firmly against soft, warm skin. "You kissed me plenty for luck last night, babe. Make it up to me again tonight?"

"You know I will." Carson nodded, her eyes softening in the low light escaping from the partially-open bathroom door. The passion in their depths was evident. "All over your body."

It warmed Kennedy to the core, sending a little tingle from her scalp all the way down to her toes. She shook her head, clearing it of pleasant thoughts. She'd soon be navigating the traffic on Mo-Pac, where there was no room for daydreaming about cute blondes in the madness of Austin rush hour. "Okay, I really need to go. Coffee pot is on timer for you." She ruffled Carson's hair and stood, navigating a maze of feline and canine bodies sprawled across the rug at the foot of the bed. Only Cody, the friendly Border Collie, rose, following her to the bedroom door. The others, if they were awake at all, deigned to move.

"Love you," Carson called quietly after her. "Break a leg, honey."

Kennedy turned. It was becoming more and more difficult to leave in the mornings. "Love you too. See you tonight." She smiled and disappeared, Cody tagging along behind her.

Carson sighed and wiggled her toes beneath the blankets. She had a few errands to run, but no assignment for the week from the legal temporary agency she'd signed on with shortly after the new year. It had been nice, easing her way back into the workforce, and Kennedy continually assured her there was no rush for Carson to find permanent employment. Since she wasn't certain she wanted to stay in the legal field, the current arrangement worked out well, and gave her plenty of time to explore other options.

More than one firm she'd temped for had offered her a job, but none of them had seemed to be a good match for her. After all she'd gone through in Dallas with her prior firm, she was a little gun-shy and had declined all such opportunities. What she really wanted, she acknowledged, was something more creative, perhaps something that would take her outdoors.

The first day of spring was fast-approaching, and the fields around their house were blooming with wildflowers. A date on the calendar had never seemed to be an obstacle for Mother Nature, where Austin was concerned. By the time spring officially arrived, the students at The University would have been wearing shorts to class for several weeks, and Carson's summer tan was already well underway.

She sat up and rubbed her face, then swung her legs over the bed and shuffled across the floor in sock-clad feet, pulling the curtains aside. It was still dark, and she could hear the March wind whipping around, rattling the carport and whistling beneath the eaves. Weather permitting, she'd taken to exercising in the mornings, often jogging along the farm-to-market road in front of the house, or rowing in a kayak Kennedy had stowed in the boathouse. She shivered. It was too dark and apparently chilly outside for that at the moment. "Maybe after K's show."

Glancing over at the tempting and still-warm bed, she sighed. "Get thee behind me, Satan." Crawling back under the covers for a few minutes was a very bad idea unless she set the alarm, and even then, she feared she'd hit the snooze button one too many times and miss the show. "And I promised Katie and Parker and Aileen and Joseph I'd capture it and burn it to DVD for them." She chuckled. "Kennedy would probably kill me for even telling them about it, but heck, I imagine it's not everyday their kid is on TV."

A warm furry body rubbed against her leg and she looked down and then bent down, scratching a purring cat. "Right, Spanky?" The tabby mewled once and followed her across the room, where Carson grabbed a thick, terry robe from a coat tree in the corner and shoved her feet into a pair of fuzzy sheepskin booties. Not to be left behind, Roma and Allie, Carson's own two cats, reluctantly got up and stretched, then tagged along behind, forming a feline train across the dog-trot.

Carson stopped in the middle between the sides of the house, sniffing the air. A dank lake-water scent filled her nostrils, and a hint of rain wafted on the breeze. Across the lake to the west, a lightning bolt streaked across the sky and far off in the distance, thunder boomed in its wake. "Glad she's headed east. Hope she gets to the station before that gets here."

She continued on inside the house, where the rich aroma of brewing coffee drew her to the kitchen. Rustling around in the cabinet, she retrieved a large mug and added a dollop of honey, then set it aside while she busied herself filling a half-dozen pet food bowls. As if by magic, Talia and Cody came trotting through the doggie-door and sat patiently waiting for her to finish, as they had been trained to do. "Okay." She smiled and closed the dog food container. "You can eat now." The dogs scrambled toward the food, joining the cats, who were impervious to such training, and were already happily munching on their morning kibbles. "Hey, where's Oscar?"

Earlier in the week, they had found an abandoned a 6-month-old dachshund puppy on the road in front of the house. Kennedy explained that they were just far out enough in the country that Carson should expect such things, and went on to tell her she had the number for the local no-kill shelter on speed-dial, but one look in Carson's baleful eyes and Kennedy told her that just that once, they could keep the little guy. Kennedy kept calling him "Hotdog," until finally Carson dubbed him "Oscar" for the wieners of the same brand name.

"Oscar!" she called out. "Your Puppy Chow's ready." She heard a whimper and traced her steps back outside to the dog-trot. "Oscar?" It was dark and she grabbed a flashlight on a shelf beside the door, and shone it down toward the end of the passage, facing the lake. A chorus of whimpers ensued, and she focused the beam further down, illuminating not one, but three pairs of eyes. "What the heck?"

Oscar yipped baby puppy barks and ran toward her on his stubby legs, wagging his tail and whimpering anxiously. "What's going on?" She scooped him up and cautiously approached the screened-in opening. "Oh!" She knelt down and held her fingers up, as two more dachshund puppies licked at them through the fine mesh. "Guess you have siblings, huh?" Oscar licked her face and wriggled free, barking at the other two until they joined in, creating a ruckus that echoed across the morning-still quiet of the lakefront. "Okay, okay. Let's get you two inside."

She flipped two locks and opened the screen door, and the other two puppies came tumbling inside, joining Oscar in a puppy family reunion. "Kennedy is gonna kill me." She placed her hands on her hips and surveyed the rag-tag crew. "I'm going to make up a big pot of her favorite vegan chili." Muddy puppy feet pawed at her bare legs, below the edge of the robe. "And buy a bottle of that Pinot she likes." One of the newcomers wagged its tail furiously, and began piddling in excitement. "And at least an hour of mind-blowing sex." The other newcomer joined its sibling, hiking a leg and sprinkling a support beam. "Any way she wants it," Carson hastily amended. "Good thing this floor out here is dirt. Okay --" She found a laundry basket next to the wall and placed the two new, mud-caked puppies in it. "You two need a bath. Come on, Oscar."

Back inside, she prepared two more bowls of Puppy Chow and deposited the two pups in the laundry room with the food and a container of water, secured behind a baby gate. There were already puppy pads laid out in the corner, as Oscar was relegated to the laundry room when they were out. He'd come a long way in just two days of training, but was not yet completely accident-proof if left to roam the house freely.

"Coffee. Now." She slid across the Spanish tile floor in her booties and poured up the morning nectar, adding a dash of skim milk and a sprinkle of vanilla. "Mmmmm." She inhaled deeply and took a cautious sip of the hot brew. She heard whimpers from behind her and shook her head. "Okay, okay. Let me just get --" She popped two pieces of cinnamon bread into the toaster and got out the cream cheese. "Breakfast. Oh! And TV!" She dashed into the den and turned on the set, then checked the cable feed to her laptop for video capture. It was thirty minutes before the show started, and she went back to the laundry room and sat down on the cold tile.

"So, judging by your peeing abilities, I'm thinking one of you is a boy and one a girl." The puppies left the food and scampered toward her, wagging their tails and standing up on hind legs against the gate, whimpering to get out. Carson scratched behind their ears and tilted her head to the side, studying doggie nether parts. "Yep. One boy and one girl. I'd best name you before K decides to call you 'Tofu' and 'Chili'. Little boy, I believe 'Mayer' is almost a given for you, but for your sister, I'll have to think on her name a while."

Oscar nudged her leg and pawed at the gate, his large, dark eyes gazing mournfully up at her. "You want in there?" She picked him up and lifted him over the side, releasing him, where he was greeted with a head-to-toe licking from his brother and sister, affections he eagerly returned in kind. "Aw." Carson retrieved her coffee and sat back down, watching the puppies as they wrestled and yipped at each other. After a while, they retreated to a comfy dog bed and settled down into a tangle of snoozing puppy bodies. "That's so adorable," Carson whispered. "Y'all make sure and be in this exact position when K gets home. She'd have to be heartless to turn away such cuteness."

She heard the opening music for Austin This Morning, and leaped up, grabbing her cinnamon toast and the cream cheese, and scurrying into the den where she sat cross-legged on the plump, leather couch. While slathering cream cheese on her toast, her ears perked up, as the hostess rattled off the highlights for the morning's show: "And from KUT radio's, The People's Attorney, we'll be visiting this morning with Kennedy Nocona, as she takes us for a walk through the changing landscape of East Austin."

"You go, honey." Carson bit into the toast, chewing thoughtfully. The University radio station had approached her with an idea for a weekly audio spot soon after they returned from Thanksgiving in Alpine with Kennedy's family. It had evolved into an hour-long show where Kennedy spent thirty minutes covering various legal and political issues of interest to Austin's less-fortunate citizens, and then spent the last thirty minutes fielding questions phoned in or e-mailed in from listeners.

It tickled Carson to no end to pull up the station's website and see her lover's smiling face on the 'personalities' page. It was a little less-entertaining when Kennedy shared some of the private e-mail she received from love-stricken male listeners, who were clueless as to her orientation, but completely smitten with her photograph. It was partly the photograph, she suspected, which had prompted Austin This Morning to invite her onto their television show. "That and she's so danged smart, and her voice is smooth to boot," Carson rattled to any animal that would listen.

She sat back, sipping her coffee thoughtfully, watching as a group of boy scouts discussed their Eagle Scout project to build a basketball court for the local children's shelter, followed by a special on regional bed and breakfast locations offering early spring get-away deals. "Hmmm. Might be time for another visit to Fredericksburg, right y'all?" She addressed the menagerie that had, one by one, made their way from the kitchen to the den, and were now sprawled across the bearskin rug in front of the fireplace. "Oh, there's Kennedy. Wow, that blue silk makes your eyes pop, honey. I knew it would." She smiled. The TV had her undivided attention.

Kennedy appeared completely calm and collected, as the hostess, Helen Duncan, worked her way through obviously-scripted introductory questions, and slowly eased into the heart of the subject matter, encroaching business development on East Austin home owners. "So, Miss Nocona," the Helen addressed Kennedy.

"Kennedy," Kennedy gently corrected her.

"Kennedy." Helen smiled. "You recently won a court battle on behalf of a group of clients who fought to maintain possession of homes that local business developers wanted to purchase for five and six times the fair market value of those homes. Tell me about that."

"Yes." Kennedy glanced at Helen, then faced the camera. "Sanderson Realty sued to have an entire neighborhood along Town Lake re-zoned for commercial development. My clients, the home-owners, took exception to that."

"But they could have taken that money and bought nicer homes, and put saving in the bank as well," Helen argued reasonably.

"True." Kennedy licked her lips and took a sip from a glass of water, the only sign she was nervous. "But some of those people had lived on that land for two and three generations. It's what amounts to water-front property. Those houses may be small, and some of them may need repair, but to those people, it's their home. They didn't want to move, and really, where are they to go? There's very little quality low-income housing to be had in this city anymore to rent, much less to buy. Land from the city limits all the way to the shores of Lake Travis is slowly being eaten up by housing developments and shopping centers. Now that the west is almost completely consumed, developers are turning to the east."

"And pushing Austin's poor out of their homes in the process?" Helen questioned, a little too perkily.

"Exactly." As Kennedy spoke, Carson caught the miniscule and momentary scrunch of her dark eyebrows, a sure signal she was more than a little annoyed with her bleached-blonde interviewer. "For a very long time, this city has chosen to all but ignore is citizens living east of I-35. Now that their land is a prime target, developers want to push them completely aside. It's not acceptable. That neighborhood I defended, there's history, and culture, and a sense of community among those people that is all but lost in much of today's world. For those who want to stay, there should be provisions made so they don't have to keep fighting each new developer that comes along. For those who want to move, we need to see to it that they have housing options that don't completely uproot their way of life. Many of them speak little or no English. Where they live now, they can live without that being a handicap. But if they are forced to move --"

"There are those who would argue that they are in America, and should learn to speak English," Helen interrupted.

"And maybe we in America should learn to speak more than one language," Kennedy shot back at her. "But to answer your question, yes, there are. And many of them are trying. I work and have contacts with several groups in the city that are helping people displaced from other countries learn English, and helping them obtain green cards, and in some cases, citizenship."

"Also true." Kennedy answered evenly. "It's a complicated issue, but I think the people of this city, if they would stop and think, would realize what a great void would be left behind, were we to deport all non-citizen laborers. I’m working within the system, to help people settle in this country within legal boundaries."

"But what of those who are already citizens, such as those land developers?" Helen flipped her hair over her shoulder as she spoke. "What of their rights? Shouldn't that take precedence over non-citizens? I understand your stance on homeowners, but you're not also arguing that rental properties should be held intact in the face of developmental progress, are you, Miss Nocona?"

"They're two separate issues," Kennedy replied slowly. She looked directly into the camera, and Carson could almost feel a personal connection with her. Kennedy remained civil because she could. It was what she did every day of her life in her line of work, as she faced judges, juries, and opposing counsel. But to Carson's knowing eye, her lover was beyond pissed off.

Kennedy smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "If renters are to be put out of decent homes that are bought up by business developers, there should be a reasonable effort to help them find comparable rental property. Those people shouldn't be forced out of good homes into the run-down apartment complexes at end of East Riverside." She turned and faced Helen. "As for citizens' rights, Helen, you do your homework before the show, don't you?" Helen nodded proudly. "Tell me --" Kennedy leaned toward her slightly. "Have you looked into the origins of my last name?" Helen's eyes grew wide.

"Ooo, Helen's about to get stung," Carson crooned.

"Because if you have, you know that my father grew up on a Comanche Reservation, and you'd understand why I tend to have little sympathy for folks who yell that they're Americans and foreigners are overtaking our country." Kennedy paused, making Helen's nervous fidgeting obvious to the camera. Smoothing her lapel with one hand, Kennedy continued, "If this city is to survive our unprecedented population growth, our strangled traffic conditions, and our booming land development, for both housing and industry, we are going to have to stop fighting among ourselves in small factions, and find common ground. Otherwise, we will lose the charm that is Austin and become another sprawling sterile metropolis like Houston or Dallas."

"Very good points, all the way around." Helen hastily gathered her withering composure. "That's about all I have for now, so I'll close on a more personal note. I understand you've gained a plethora of on-line male admirers since you took on the radio show at KUT. Not to put you on the spot, but you're an attractive, single woman. Any chance you might participate in our spring bachelorette charity auction here at the station? You'd be joining a fine group of single ladies who've agreed to lunch dates with the highest bidder. Proceeds go to benefit the Austin Women's Shelter."

"I can't participate. I'm in a relationship," Kennedy answered, not missing a beat. "And I'm quite familiar with the shelter. My fiancé and I have done some volunteer work there. In fact, we were there at Christmas. We took over a carload of toys, ate dinner with them, and she read stories to the children afterward."

"Sh-she?" Helen stammered.

"Yes." Kennedy nodded gravely, while her eyes twinkled in amusement at Helen's obvious discomfort. "Her name is Carson, and I'm hopelessly spoken for, for life."

Carson's eyes stung and a lump rose in her throat. Kennedy told her she loved her, every day since they'd first said those three little words to each other, but to hear it declared with such conviction and with such terms, on network television, was almost overwhelming. "I love you, K, so, so much," she whispered. As Carson spoke, Kennedy reached up to push her hair behind her ear. As her hand went up, she made the "I love you" sign in sign language, and as it went down, she signed the letter "C." It was as if Kennedy had heard her. Maybe others caught the message, and maybe they didn't, but its intended recipient had tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Oh." Helen flashed a huge fake smile and faced the camera. "Thank you for your time, Miss Nocona. When we come back from the commercial break, we'll have a word from the Ladybird Johnson Wild Flower Foundation. Y'all can catch Kennedy Nocona every Monday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. on KUT's radio show, The People's Attorney."

The station cut to a commercial break, and Carson laughed out loud, wiping her eyes with her robe sleeve. "You know," she addressed her furry companions. "I have a feeling that woman was a real bitch off-camera. Can't wait to hear all about it. Now, I guess I have a couple of puppies to make presentable, and a very special dinner to cook for the most wonderful woman in the universe."

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After ignoring the first three rings, Kennedy answered her desk phone, gripping the receiver as if she wanted to choke it. "Kennedy Nocona."

"Kennedy, there's a guy on the line insisting he needs to speak with you. I know you're busy trying to finish that appellate brief, and I tried to take a message, but he says it's urgent." Her newly-hired receptionist and all-around office clerk, Marcus, shared in her annoyance, judging by his tone. She and her law partner, Valerie, had finally grown too busy, and kept their secretary and their paralegal too busy, to expect them to also run office errands and answer the phones. Marcus had been a pleasant surprise to everyone, and he reveled in being the only man in the otherwise all-female office.

"Did he say who he is and what the problem is?" She fidgeted with her trackball mouse, rolling it aimlessly around while she spoke. "Oops. Damn."

"What's the matter?" Marcus' voice rose in alarm.

"Just accidentally erased an entire page, but I got it back with 'undo'." She removed her hand from the mouse and raked her fingers back through her hair, which had grown much longer than she'd worn it in several years. Carson seemed to like it, however, and that was all that mattered.

"Oh, that's good. His name is Charles and he says he's with the Stonewall Democrats of Travis County."

"Did he say what he wants?" she groused. "I don't make donations to political parties or candidates, so if that's what he's after he can shove it up his -- oh, never mind, he might like that suggestion. Put him through. I'm wasting brief-drafting time talking."

"I can tell him to take a hike," Marcus offered hopefully.

"No, no, that's alright. I'll set him straight." She laughed. "Well, maybe not straight, but perhaps I can make him go away and not come back to bother us again. Unless you want him to."

"Lucky me," Kennedy grumbled. She heard the click as Marcus made the transfer, and she released a ragged, angry breath. "Kennedy Nocona."

"Miss Nocona?" An animated voice set her nerve endings twitching. "I'm Charles Matthews with the Stonewall Democrats of Travis County. How are you doing today?"

"Busy as hell, so make your spiel. Then I can tell you I'm not donating to the cause, and we can both get on with what's left of this day." She knew she was PMSing, and tired, and the TV interview hadn't helped her mood. She almost regretted her harshness, but politicians were some of her least favorite people, and she couldn't bring herself to feel true remorse for what she knew amounted to rudeness.

"I’m not calling for a donation," Charles persisted in the same cheerful tone. "We'd like to take you out to lunch tomorrow. That is, if you're free."

"Chip," Charles corrected her, obviously miffed at her use of the more-common nickname.

"Chip." Kennedy rolled her eyes. "I know you're not after me for my girlish good looks, so why don't you cut to the chase and tell me what you want?"

"No," Charles laughed a little too merrily. "Representatives from several special interest groups are gathering tomorrow at the Driskill Hotel and we have something we'd like to discuss with you."

"Such as?" She glanced at the clock on the computer, grimacing at the time. It was 3:00 p.m. and she had until 10:00 a.m. the next morning to file her brief. It was going to be a very long night.

"As I'm sure you're aware, Republican State Representative Roy Sanderson has run unopposed in District 48 for several terms now. We'd like to change that." Charles paused, taking a breath to continue.

"Look, I told you I'm not making any donations." she cut him off. "Best of luck to you, but you're going to have to do it without my dollar. I’m a very bad lesbian, Chip. I generally don't give a rat's ass about politics, and I'm sure not going to financially support some candidate I don't even know. Who is your candidate, anyway?"

"We'd like for it to be you, Miss Nocona." He waited, hearing only dead air on the other end. "Miss Nocona?"

"Hold on." She heard a swooshing sound in her ears and was uncertain if it was her own blood pumping or the connection, but she felt the sudden need to get up and move. Punching the speaker phone button, she cradled the receiver and got up to pace. "You want me to run against Roy Sanderson? I assume you were watching this morning if you were planning to court me for office. Were you paying attention? I just gave him a spanking in court AND dissed his company on Austin's number one news program. Are you insane?" She whirled around, once the blood receded from her ears and returned to her brain. "No. Find yourself another puppet, Chip. I'm not interested. I'm not even sure why you'd want me."

"Because you're not political and you're not afraid to speak your mind. Because we believe you share our goals and views, whether you realize that yet, or not. Because you know how to beat Roy Sanderson in court, so maybe you can beat him at the polls as well. Honestly, Miss Nocona, because you have media appeal and really, this is almost a lost cause before we even get started. We decided if we had any chance at all, we needed to do something different. Something edgy that might get voter attention and pull some of the complacent ones into the voting booths, come November." Now Charles was stammering, tripping over his words in his haste to win her over before she hung up.

"Media appeal?" She laughed. "Did you see my interview this morning? It was a disaster. Not to mention you've already lost the vote of anyone even moderately conservative. I just declared my undying love for another woman on network television, for crying out loud. You hire me, you hire an out lesbian and a domineering female attorney, Mr. Matthews. We're the worst breed out there according to some. Do you think the voters of District 48 are ready to support someone like me? This city has grown much more conservative over the past decade. Where is District 48, anyway?"

"Um." He cleared his throat. "You live there."

"See, I told you I'm not political." She sat down and propped her legs up on the desk. "I've wanted many things in my life, but I can honestly say I've never had one iota of political ambition. I didn't even want to be captain of my high school archery team. No, I don't think so. Surely you can find someone else."

"We don't want someone else, we want you. We've been discussing this since your first radio show in January. Look --" He changed tactics. "Will you at least join us for lunch tomorrow and hear us out? What do you have to lose? It's a free lunch with a group of people who truly care about this state. If you don't like what you hear, you can walk away. Maybe even take a few new professional contacts with you. It never hurts to have friends in groups like this, does it? Come on, Miss Nocona, what do you say? It's just lunch."

He was right about the contacts, she acknowledged. In her five years in Austin, she'd slowly built up a large network of people she could call on for favors or input, but as her law practice expanded, there was a constant need for new experts in new areas. "It's just lunch? You promise?" she heard herself ask, much to her own surprise.

"Promise." Charles' answer ended on a squeak.

"One more thing." She saw her screensaver kick in and smiled as a series of photographs of Carson began randomly materializing for her viewing pleasure. The timing was perfect.

"Anything."

"I bring my fiancé. Surely you wouldn't expect me to consider such a big step without my partner's full support?"

"Excellent!" he shouted. Kennedy winced at the assault on her ears and slid a few feet back from the desk as he continued to speak, "Reservations are at 12:30. Shall I send a car to your office to pick you up?"

"No, thank you. I'll drive over from here. It's only a few blocks away." It would also be much easier to get away if she had her own transportation. It was one thing to have a captive audience and quite another to be held captive by one.

"Great! We'll see you tomorrow then." His voice was so eagerly loud, she finally reached over to turn down the speaker volume. "And I look forward to meeting your fiancé."

"Alright. I've got to get back to work, so unless there's anything else I need to know, I'll talk to you at lunch." Kennedy's finger poised restlessly over the release button.

"No, that's all. Good afternoon, Miss Nocona."

"Good evening." The call ended and Kennedy leaned back in her chair, covering her face with her hands as she digested the conversation. Slowly, her hands fell away and she swung her legs to the floor as she hit a speed dial button, listening to the ring on the other end.

"Hello?" Carson sounded frazzled.

"Hey. Everything okay?"

"Oh, hi. Yeah, fine. Just running around like a chicken with my head cut off." All traces of frazzlement disappeared. "You were great this morning!"

"Thanks, sweetheart. I'm not so sure of that myself, but it's nice to hear you think so."

"No, really. You looked good, you sounded even better, and despite that bleached barracuda, your message made sense." She could hear Carson's smile in her voice. "And my caffeine had not kicked in yet, so if it made sense to me, I bet it got across to a lot of other folks, too."

"Well, it had one unexpected result."

"What's that? Oh, hold on." Kennedy heard a rustle and then Carson returned, her voice sounding canned. "Sorry, I had to put you on speaker. I'm in the middle of dinner prep and something needed stirring."

"Dinner, this early? What're you making?"

"It's a surprise. I wanted to do something special for you." Carson's voice softened. "What you said on TV, and the sign language -- that meant a lot to me."

"Oh." Kennedy felt happy flutters dancing in her stomach. "Sweetheart, I’m going to have to work late tonight. I'm so sorry. Are you making something that will keep for leftovers? Maybe we can have a special meal tomorrow night."

"Actually --" Carson considered the chili, which really was even better after the spices had a day or so to stew. "It is. No worries. I'm just sorry you have to work late. Any idea when you'll be home?"

"Hopefully before midnight. But I called to see if you're free for lunch tomorrow and could come downtown."

"Sure. What's up?"

"Some political big-wigs want to meet with me and I told them I wanted to bring you along. They've got a fancy luncheon set up at the Driskill tomorrow."

"Wow. What for?" Carson mentally ran through her wardrobe options.

"I'd rather discuss that in person, if you don't mind." Kennedy rolled her mouse to pull her brief back up, reluctantly ending the screensaver show just as Carson in the tiny bikini she'd worn during their Big Bend backpacking trip pixeled onto the screen. "Listen, I need to get back to work if I want to get home at all tonight. If you'll put that dinner on hold, I promise to make it up to you tomorrow."

"Sure. Don't work too hard." Carson breathed a private sigh of relief. With any luck Kennedy might not notice the puppies for another day.

"I'll try not to. Love you. See you as soon as I can."

"Love you too."

They hung up, and Carson sat down on a barstool, wiping her hands on her apron as she looked around the kitchen, which was a disaster area and smelled to high heaven of onions and garlic. She looked over at Roma, who sat stubbornly on the windowsill blinking red, runny eyes. "You give up yet?" The feline was obviously allergic to onion fumes, but was nonetheless so determined to remain in the same room as Carson, that she was willing to endure the discomfort. "Really, you'd be much happier in another room, and I promise I won't go anywhere." The cat jumped down, leaping from countertop to floor to the center island where Carson was seated. She padded daintily along the edge and sat down next to her human, rubbing her face against Carson's forearm. "Aww, you're a sweetie, you are." Carson scratched the top of her head, eliciting loud purring.

"Well, might as well let the chili finish cooking, and start cleaning this place up." She grabbed a sponge and a bottle of non-toxic kitchen cleaner, spraying the surface next to her, careful to avoid Roma. "Then I guess I'll just toss up a salad or something for dinner. I think it's just me and you fur-kids tonight."

"You know --" She began wiping down the counter and moving dirty dishes to the sink. "She works so hard, and she doesn't even have to. Ewww, that stinks." She lifted a paper towel covered with onion peel, dumping the contents down the garbage disposal. "I know she's dedicated to the people she helps, and I'm so proud of her for that I could bust, but I wish she'd take better care of herself. She'll skip her workout tonight, and she'll probably skip dinner. She's lost weight since we got back from Alpine."

Carson finished with the center island and move on to the counter next to the sink. Roma followed, taking perch back on the windowsill and cocking her head in seeming understanding. "I think falling out with her brother, Pete, and all that old dirt from her teen years took a toll. She's even more driven than she was when I met her. I wish I could convince her to slow down a little. She and Valerie could hire another associate, easily. I've seen the books. They're doing well."

She began rinsing dishes and loading the dishwasher until it was full. After starting it cycling, she moved back to the stove, lifting the lid on the pot of chili. "Mmmmm. This is gonna rock tomorrow night. I've got the wine, and I can make cornbread, and I think I'll go get a container of that cherry frozen yogurt we both like -- the stuff with the little chocolate chunks in it. We need a night to relax. Okay, she needs a night to relax, and I just need a night with her. Not that I don't have her with me every night, eventually."

Carson smiled. Despite everything, and settling into their routine at home, the passion in their relationship showed no sign of slowing down. They still made love almost every day, and most days it was a spontaneous part of either going to sleep or waking up. It wasn't something they seemed to need to work at, and they continued to keep it fun and light, exploring each other and trying new things, as they were comfortable. All traces of initial shyness between them were gone, replaced by both boldness and confidence, in action and word.

But -- she finished stirring and sat down on the bar stool again, taking a sip from a glass of iced tea -- because of their schedules, especially Kennedy's, they weren't taking the kind of time with each other they had in the beginning. She missed the Sundays or the early evenings where they spent hours in bed or in front of the fireplace, just playing, taking breaks to eat or drink, only to tumble back under the covers together, starting up all over again until they were both exhausted and completely satisfied.

Her body hummed just thinking about it, almost enough to make her want to go take matters into her own hands. She'd had no need for that in ages, and it surprised her. It wouldn't be wrong, and she knew that. Kennedy had teased her more than once that sometime, she'd like to watch Carson pleasure herself, but the few times she'd tried to comply, Kennedy couldn't keep her hands off and always ended up helping out.

Now -- "Hell, I don't think I ever even unpacked the vibrator." There was still a stack of sealed boxes along the wall of one of the guest bedrooms. It was supposed to be Carson's room, but she had yet to sleep there. "Sex toys or not, maybe that should be tonight's project. I think it's high time I finished moving into this house."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was well past midnight and pouring down rain by the time Kennedy pulled up to the house. The utter darkness combined with rolling thunder and the occasional lightning flash would have been un-nerving to anyone unaccustomed to life on the lake. Hill country thunderstorms were a sight to behold, but a sight she was well-used to. She peered through the furiously-swooshing windshield wipers, following the beam from her headlights, past the circle driveway in front of the house, to the side drive that led to the garage and carports in back. She hit the remote and the garage door opened, where she pulled the 4Runner in beside Carson's Honda Civic.

She got out of the truck and grabbed her briefcase from the hatch, then closed it and leaned against the side of the vehicle, studying the house. Through the falling sheets of water, she counted five lights glowing, beckoning her to come in and take shelter from the storm. It was something different and she took a moment to savor it -- this knowledge that after five long years of solitude, someone was inside the house, waiting for her to come home. The lights were like a trail of crumbs -- one over the back door, the next in the kitchen, the third illuminating the dogtrot, a fourth shining from the master bathroom window, and the last glowing softly through the closed curtains of their bedroom.

She considered going to visit the horses, but her Wellingtons were on the back porch and she knew a yard-full of mud and dried winter grass filled the space between her and the stables. After Pete moved out of the garage apartment, Kennedy had posted notice of the vacancy and had lucked into a student biology major who was trying to decide between pre-med and veterinarian school. The young woman, Alexis, a freshman at The University, was an accomplished horsewoman and had eagerly taken over the duties of feeding and caring for Missy and Storm, in exchange for her room and board.

On such a night, it was nice to know the horses were already taken care of and were most likely awake in their stalls, munching on oats and listening to the wind and rain. Kennedy shouldered her briefcase and made her way up the covered walkway that connected with the end of the back porch. She opened the back door and stepped through the mud room into the kitchen.

"Whatever she made, it still smells great." She sniffed the air, detecting the spicy tang. "Must be something Tex-Mex. She spotted a note propped up on the center island and picked it up. It read:

K -

There's a Caesar salad in the fridge. I used spicy tofu chunks instead of chicken. And there's a cup of home-made tomato basil soup next to it -- all you have to do is put it in the microwave. Oh, and a new container of soy milk.

I know you skipped dinner, so eat! I can count your ribs, woman. Not that I don't enjoy counting them, mind you.

Love,Carson

PS: Please don't peek in any of the covered pots in the fridge, okay?

Kennedy smiled and folded the note over, and kissed it. "You take good care of me, babe." She located the food and fixed it up, sitting down at the center island to eat. It all tasted good, and of love, and of the knowledge that someone in the world cared enough about her to tend to the little details in her life.

Noting the 'clean' magnet on the dishwasher, she rinsed her dishes and placed them in the sink. She was bone-weary and mentally exhausted, and it was way past time to get some sleep. As she passed the laundry room, she heard puppy cries and stopped. "Oscar?" She flipped on the light. "You get banished her for the night? What'd you do? Pee on the rug again? Oh --"

Not one, but three puppies appeared at the baby gate, all of them vying for her attention. "What'd she do, clone you?" Kennedy placed her hands on her hips, surveying the wriggling, wagging, whimpering mass of bodies. "That little sneak." Kennedy knelt down and opened the gate. All three came tumbling out, knocking her on her butt before they clambered into her lap. "Hey!" She screwed up her face as three tongues began to bathe it.

"You been hiding your family for three days, Oscar?" She got a hold of the group, two in one arm and one in the other. "Maybe you're the sneak. You knew she couldn't resist, didn't you?" Oscar nudged her hip, then curled up in her lap again, resting his head on her knee and looking innocently up at her. "No, no, not that face. It works when she uses it, and it works when you do, too. You know that, dontcha, boy?" Oscar's tail thumped a few times, and he began to lick her leg through her pantyhose. "Sorry, that only works when she does it."

"Okay." Kennedy stood, puppies in hand. "You can stay. For now." She deposited the pups back inside the laundry room and joined them, rubbing baby puppy tummies until they were all snoozing in a contented heap. "Another boy and girl," she mused. "Betcha she's already given you names."

She got up and turned off lights as she moved through the house. Entering the bedroom, she tossed her suit jacket across the back of a stuffed chaise lounge and peered over at Carson, who was fast asleep, illuminated by the low light from the lamp on the nightstand on Kennedy's side of the bed. Drawn to the beside, Kennedy stood over it, shaking her head. Carson was flat on her back, the covers up to her shoulders with her arms outside, cradling a book that was draped face-down across her chest. She gently lifted Carson's arms and picked up the book, then managed to get Carson's arms under the blankets.

As she set the book on Carson's darkened nightstand, she noticed a phallic object sitting in the shadows at its edge. "What the heck?" She lifted it and almost burst out laughing, covering her mouth lest she wake Carson. It was a bright purple silicon vibrator. She studied it for a moment then glanced at Carson. Unable to resist, she sniffed the air delicately, but couldn't detect her lover's scent. "Maybe she showered afterward." She shook her head again and placed it back where she'd found it.

After washing her face and brushing her teeth, she shed the rest of her clothing, turned out the remaining light, and joined Carson under the covers, curling up against her back. Carson was wearing a t-shirt and waffle-weave cotton shorts, most likely in deference to the chill in the air, and the material felt pleasantly rough against Kennedy's bare skin. She spooned herself more tightly around her lover, draping an arm around her waist and slipping a hand inside her t-shirt to rest flat against her warm belly.

"Mmmmm," Carson murmured, half-awake. "You eat?"

"Yep." Kennedy nuzzled her neck and kissed it. "Thanks. That hit the spot."

"Welcome. You finish your brief?"

"Yes. It's all ready. Marcus will take it to be bound first thing in the morning and then get it filed." She breathed deeply, feeling the tension rolling off her body. "Big relief."

"I remember those days. I have to admit I don't miss them at all." Carson rolled partway over and located Kennedy's lips, lingering there for a long welcome-home kiss. "So tired," Carson drawled sleepily.

"I bet." Kennedy chuckled, thinking of the vibrator. "Me, too." She laughed again. "When were you planning to tell me about the puppies?"

Carson's eyes flew open and she rolled onto her back. "Oh!" She looked up, trying unsuccessfully to read Kennedy's expression in the inky blackness. "I'm sorry, K, I was going to. I just --"

Although she couldn't see it, Kennedy could picture Carson's face, imagining it much the same as Oscar's had been earlier. She smiled. "Yes. At least for now."

"Oh, thank you!" Carson threw her arms around her neck and hugged her tightly, knowing a 'for now' would do while she worked on 'for good'. She sought out Kennedy's lips again, giving her a most proper kiss and slipping a knee between her legs.

Kennedy groaned in frustrated pleasure. "Oh, babe, I'm really tired."

"I know." Carson rubbed noses with her and pushed her onto her back, then curled up against her, resting her head on Kennedy's shoulder. She began rubbing her stomach in soothing circles. "Just want to rock you to sleep, not rev you up. Promise." She kissed her again lightly, and continued with the light stroking motion, as Kennedy pulled the covers up over both of them.

Carson's attentions were nice, further relieving the stress of the day, and Kennedy ceased fighting to keep her eyes open, as her body relaxed at the gentle, knowing touch. "Night, Carson." She wrapped her arms around her. "Love you."

"Love you, too." Carson closed her eyes, surrendering to the darkness and the calming sound of rain pattering on the roof overhead. It brought back memories of her first night in the house, only this time there was no sadness and no uncertainty as to where they were headed. This time there would be no nightmares, and in the morning she would wake up, surrounded by love.

Morning found Kennedy once again spooned against Carson's back, her hand inside her t-shirt, cupped around a firm, soft breast. It reminded her of those first wonderfully-new, frustrating nights they'd spent together before they'd become fully intimate, and just because she could now, she brushed her thumb back and forth across Carson's nipple, feeling it harden. Carson's body came awake and took on tension, and Kennedy heard a half-coherent mewl as she nibbled a tasty shoulder.

"Mmmmm." Thanks to the storm, it was still dark outside, and Carson glanced at the clock. "That's so nice," she purred. "But it's past seven. Don't you have to get ready for work?"

"Nope." Kennedy's hand trailed over to the other breast, circling it lightly with her fingertips. "The brief is done and I trust Marcus to get it filed. Counting that show, I worked eighteen hours yesterday. I sent an e-mail to the staff before I left last night, telling them I'd be in after lunch." She resumed her nibbles, her own libido kicking into high gear.

"God, that feels good." Kennedy tugged at her navel ring and Carson groaned at the jolt that hit her directly in the groin. She rolled onto her back, her eyes hooded, as she looked up into Kennedy's face, which was mostly in shadows. "Turn on the light," she whispered. "I need to see you."

Kennedy ducked her head and kissed her in answer, their tongues dancing together as their bodies drew closer, tangling in a warm, comfortable nest. Kennedy raised her head and she reluctantly released Carson's breast as she reached over, turning on the lamp and dimming it to a soft, sensual light that washed over both of them. She spotted the vibrator and grasped it, drawing it over between them. "You get lonely last night?"

"Oh." Carson laughed, feeling the heat of a blush on her face. "No. I emptied the rest of those boxes in the guest room and found that. I thought about using it, but I was really tired and ended up reading until I fell asleep."

"Yes, you did." Kennedy studied her morning-mussed hair, and her face glowing with the ever-increasing passion between them. "You know." She traced the neckline of Carson's plain, white t-shirt. "I have fond memories of this outfit."

"You do?" Carson located an earlobe, pressing it between her lips and nibbling on it.

"Unnggh. Yes." Kennedy buried her face into Carson's neck and slid her hand down until she was once again cupping one of her breasts. She took up a steady, stroking motion and heard the unintelligible gurgle of Carson's reaction. "That first morning after you stayed here, you came out into the kitchen. I took one look at you and almost burned myself making omelets. "This shirt." She lifted it enough to peer at the treasures beneath. "The light coming through the kitchen window -- I could see your nipples and I wanted so badly to just --" She slipped down, enclosing one of Carson's nipples in her mouth through the thin cotton, dampening it as she suckled lightly at first, then with more pressure.

"God." Carson's legs parted as wetness flooded between them, and Kennedy eased over her, hovering there as she released her with a smack of her lips.

"And then there were these itty-bitty shorts." Kennedy slid one hand beneath Carson, engulfing a butt cheek and squeezing it rhythmically. "They were clinging to you in all the right places and I wanted to clear the center island and toss you up there, and ravish you, right there in the kitchen."

"Here is a good place, too," Carson moaned softly.

"Oh, yeah," Kennedy continued on her trip down memory lane. "I remember thinking I could probably get to you, without even taking the shorts off." She nudged Carson's legs further apart, and stroked up her inner thigh until she reached the edge of the shorts, slipping her hand up and inside the leg until she reached wet, warmth. It still took her breath away each time, encountering this certain physical evidence of Carson's passion. She sighed quietly and played there, teasing baby-soft skin.

"I think you were right." Carson looked up into eyes that were at once gentle and ravenous, as if Kennedy intended to devour her, but very slowly. There was something else there, a fierce love shining back at her, all for her. She swallowed and eased her legs even further apart in invitation. She felt Kennedy slip inside and she groaned from her gut, as she felt long fingers touch her deeply.

Kennedy braced her weight on one forearm and briefly withdrew, to Carson's disappointed moan. "Don't stop," Carson urged. Her hands were everywhere, stroking Kennedy's back, teasing her breasts, and drawing her face down for a long, pleading kiss.

"Not stopping." Carson heard the buzz of the vibrator, then felt it against her leg as Kennedy dragged it teasingly up and beneath her shorts, pressing it between her legs as she drew it slowly back and forth in small, concentrated strokes. She looked down, unable to actually see what Kennedy was doing, only the motion beneath the soft cotton that obscured it. It was erotic in the extreme.

"Oh, my god, that feels good." Her eyes slammed shut as Kennedy managed to shove her t-shirt up with her other hand, and found her breasts once more. Carson had used the vibrator countless times alone, but the combination of Kennedy's warm, insistent lips and tongue at her nipples, and the sensation of someone else using the vibrator on her, was so overwhelming, she was certain she would scream if the intensity increased any further. It did, and her body could hold back no longer, her climax hitting with greater force than she could ever recall. She cried out, helplessly clutching at Kennedy as her lover knowingly withdrew the vibrator and wrestled her shorts off.

Kennedy's fingers slipped inside her once more, stroking lightly, gradually increasing the pressure and bringing her back up. Carson's body was in overdrive, responding easily to her lover's touch, and she felt Kennedy roll fully on top of her, putting her body into the effort, her hips rocking against her. "Fuck," Carson breathed softly, knowing Kennedy would understand it as a good reaction. Gradually, occasional 'naughty' words had worked their way into their love-making. It wasn't something they did each time, but sometimes, if they were simply having a rollicking good, fun romp, they'd both discovered it heightened the experience between them. "Me," she added as a fuzzy afterthought.

"You feel so good," Kennedy burred into her ear. "So damned good. Come on, baby." She felt Carson tightening around her, as she once again brought her to orgasm. "That's it. Let it all out." Kennedy kissed her hungrily, as she slowly withdrew her fingers and cupped Carson, pressing against her, knowing it would give her one more little jolt.

"Ahhhh." Carson's body spasmed again and she reached down, taking Kennedy's hand and stilling it, pressing her own against it and holding it in place. "No more," she gasped.

"You don't have just one more little one left inside?" Kennedy teased, nibbling along her jaw. "I think you do."

"I know." Blue eyes twinkled in the lamp light and she lowered herself, kissing Carson again, much more gently this time. "And it gives me such great pleasure." She rolled to her side and reached across, stroking Carson's face, tracing her lips and her nose and her eyelids. She was suddenly overcome with her feelings for Carson, and pulled her close, cradling her with one arm. "I love making you feel good like that." She nipped at her nose.

"And so do I." Carson searched her eyes, feeling the strong emotions between them. She shifted closer, pressing herself against Kennedy and rubbing her entire body against her. "Get this damned t-shirt off me," she groused impatiently. Kennedy eagerly complied, pulling it up and tossing it across the room. She groaned low in her throat as Carson's body brushed the entire length of her, and she fell back against the pillow as Carson rolled on top of her, holding herself up on braced arms and studying her with eyes that were silvery-warm.

"Yesterday morning, I told you I was going to kiss you all over." Carson winked. "Didn't I?" She proceeded to make good on her promise, feeling Kennedy's body rumbling with pleasure as she made her way from her lips, to her collarbone, to a nipple that she slowly stroked with her tongue. She loved the sensation of Kennedy in her mouth, and feeling her reactions as their bodies pressed together. She moved to the other nipple and gave it loving attention, then slid slowly down, pushing her arms beneath her lover and lifting her behind up, pulling her close.

Kennedy's knees came up, falling open and making room for her. Carson smiled, lowering herself and feeling those long legs draped loosely around her shoulders. By sight alone, Kennedy was more than ready, and judging by her rocking body, this was no time to take things slowly. "I want you." Carson looked up for only a moment. "Badly."

Kennedy watched the pale head as Carson dipped down between her legs. She reached down, cupping the back of Carson's head with one hand, combing her fingers through the blonde locks with the other, waiting in breathless anticipation. Carson was a tease, but seemed to sense her urgency. She felt lips and tongue, tasting and nipping, then Carson settled down, reaching that one little spot Kennedy needed her most. "That's perfect," she purred. Purrs became moans, as Carson's fingers joined her lips, and she stroked her in slow circles, as her tongue probed her in an intimate kiss. "God."

Carson hummed against her, increasing the intensity, and Kennedy surrendered, her arms falling flat against the sheets as she grasped fistfuls of the soft material. Her hips bucked up, rolling with Carson's motions, her stomach muscles fluttering almost painfully. She gasped and grew completely still, then released a yell as her body convulsed repeatedly.

Carson slowly dragged her body up Kennedy's, until her thigh was pressed firmly between the taller woman's legs. "More?" Carson tilted her head, rocking against her lover. Kennedy's lips were moving, but no sound was forthcoming. "What was that?" She leaned closer, continuing the pleasant assault.

"I was giving thanks," Kennedy choked out. "Because I think I've died and gone to heaven."

"Must have." Carson dropped down against her, putting even more force into her motions. She felt long arms and legs wrap around her, and she lifted her head, reaching up and brushing Kennedy's hair out of her eyes. She traced a pair of full, parted lips, feeling Kennedy's warm, panting breath. Then those lips closed around her finger, sucking in time to Carson's thrusts. "It has to be heaven," Carson whispered in wonder. "Because I'm in the arms of an angel."

Kennedy smiled, her eyes locking with Carson's, sharing her passion as her climax washed over her. Her hands stroked firmly down Carson's back and one hand slipped between Carson's legs from behind. Carson gasped as Kennedy's touch became quickly insistent. It felt so good, and she willingly went with it. She fell limply against her lover, her face pressed against Kennedy's musky, sweet-smelling skin. The sweat of their joined bodies mingled, and she could feel her skin, sliding pleasantly and easily against Kennedy's, as Kennedy brought her up and over the edge one last time.

"I knew you had one more in there." Kennedy laughed lightly, holding her close as they both caught their breath. Their lips met in a slow, lingering kiss, and Carson eased over until she was sprawled against Kennedy's side. She closed her eyes, fighting the utter lassitude that threatened to put her back to sleep. As if reading her mind, Kennedy began rubbing her back, and kissed her forehead. "We don't have to get up for another hour, babe."

"You need this, too," Carson protested sleepily.

"No argument there." Kennedy closed her eyes, letting her other senses take over, feeling Carson in her arms, her weight pleasant against her, and tasting Carson on her lips. Their mingled scent lingered in the air, and this close, she could hear Carson's breathing as it slowed and evened out, and she fell asleep. "I do need this," she whispered to her sleeping lover. "So very, very much.